Updated 5-17

Mark Assur Director, Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence Mark Assur directs and oversees the Navy’s counterintelligence (CI), human intelligence (HUMINT) and foreign materiel (FM) programs in his role as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare / Director of Naval Intelligence (OPNAV N2N6), and as a directorate head in the Naval Intelligence Activity (NIA-X). In addition, he manages the selection and nomination of personnel for duty as naval attachés and support staff in U.S. Defense Attaché Offices in nearly 80 nations. Mr. Assur has served in intelligence assignments for 34 years and was appointed to his post in July 2014. He retired from the Navy as a Captain with 28 years of reserve and active service. Prior to assuming his current position he served for three years as the Commandant of the Reid Center, a DoD school for advanced clandestine tradecraft training. From 2008 to 2011, as Director for CI/HUMINT (J2X) at U.S. Joint Forces Command, he prepared intelligence staffs deploying to all combat theaters, personally led a special study in Iraq and managed exchanges with NATO partners in Afghanistan. He deployed from 2007 to 2008 to the Horn of Africa as a joint task force J2X director. Notably, he was the first Navy officer to fill the senior CI/HUMINT position at a combatant command and a joint task force. As a civilian, Mr. Assur served with the Department of Energy’s intelligence office and with the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) Directorate for Operations with assignments on three continents and at CIA Headquarters. During a decade in the National Clandestine Service, he performed and managed covert action and espionage activities primarily focused on countering weapons proliferation. In 2001, he voluntarily returned to active duty after September 11 and working from CIA’s Counterterrorist Center helped coordinate the initial efforts of paramilitary and special operations teams infiltrated into Afghanistan. During 2002, he performed with distinction in hostile and austere surroundings while embedded with a special mission unit’s advance force operations elements. After returning to CIA in 2003, he accepted an appointment in the new Department of Homeland Security. As Special Assistant to the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), he established domestic incident response policies and capabilities and then served as Deputy Director of the Office of Training and Development until returning to the Navy on active duty in 2007. Mr. Assur holds a master of arts degree from the U.S. Naval War College in National Security and Strategic Studies (1992) and a bachelor of arts in Government from George Mason University (1984).

Updated 5-17

The recipient of personal awards from the Director of Central Intelligence and the Secretary of Energy, for his actions in Afghanistan the Secretary of the Navy awarded him the Bronze Star and authorized wear of the Combat Action Ribbon.